UUP chairman calls on rebel MP's to 'toe party line'

The three Ulster Unionist MPs who resigned the Party whip at Westminister have been told to "toe the party line" by chairman James Cooper.

Mr Cooper called on Jeffrey Donaldson, David Burnside and the Rev. Martin Smyth to obey party rules after they turned down a request to follow party orders.

In a statement Mr Cooper said: "The party has made every effort to accommodate the three MPs concerned and we believed that we had put the whole episode behind us. It is sad that some within the party still stand defiant of majority Party wishes."

Mr Cooper also hit back at claims by Jeffrey Donaldson that all three MP's would have to toe the party line by promising to abide by all future party decisions.

“There is no question that Mr Donaldson would be asked to sign up to anything other than the policy of the Party as confirmed by the Executive and Ulster Unionist Council.

“Rather the Chief Whip, Roy Beggs MP, has simply asked them to abide by future whipping decisions consistent with relevant policy decisions of the Ulster Unionist council and its Executive Committee," he said.

Mr Donaldson, Mr Burnside and Rev Smyth resigned the party whip in June claiming party leader David Trimble failed to endorse his policy on the joint British-Irish declaration.

They claimed Unionism, led by Mr Trimble, had been "represented at the negotiating table in a weak and dysfunctional state".

(MB)